1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to thin film channels, microfluidic devices, biosensors, electronic cooling, control of fuel flow prior combustion and insulating assemblies.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thin films are used in a variety of devices, including electrical, electronic, chemical, and biological devices, for modulating or controlling flow and heat characteristics in the devices. See e.g. Vafai & Wang (1992) Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 35:2087-2099, Vafai et al. (1995) ASME J Heat Transfer 117:209-218, Zhu & Vafai (1997) Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 40:2887-2900, and Moon et al. (2000) Int. J. Microcircuits and Electronic Packaging 23:488-493 for flat heat pipes; Fedorov & Viskanta (2000) Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 43:399-415, Lee and Vafai (1999) Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 42:1555-1568, and Vafai & Zhu (1999) Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 42; 2287-2297 for microchannel heat sinks; Lavrik et al. (2001) Biomedical Microdevices 3(1):35-44, and Xuan & Roetzel (2000) Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 43:3701-3707 for biosensors and nanodevices.
For many of these applications, modulation and control of the flow and heat characteristics in the devices is desired. Unfortunately, the prior art methods for modulating and controlling the flow and heat are difficult or problematic. For example, a two-phase flow in a microchannel is capable of removing maximum heat fluxes generated by electronic packages, but instability occurs near certain operating conditions. See Bowers & Mudwar (1994) ASME J. Electronic Packaging 116:290-305. Further, the use of porous medium for cooling electronic devices enhances heat transfer via the increase in the effective surface area, but the porous medium results in a substantial increase in the pressure drop inside the thin film. See Huang & Vafai (1993) Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 36:4019-4032, Huang & Vafai (1994) AIAA J. Thermophysics and Heat Transfer 8:563-573, Huang & Vafai (1994) Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow 15:48-61, and Hadim (1994) ASME J. Heat Transfer 116:465-472.
Therefore, a need still exists for methods of modulating or controlling heat and flow characteristics in thin films.